


Homesick

by UnadulteratedFanfiction



Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén
Genre: Angst, Homesickness, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, M/M, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-20 23:06:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30012336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnadulteratedFanfiction/pseuds/UnadulteratedFanfiction
Summary: A couple of months have passed since his escape, and he’s finding it hard to adjust to the hiding in the human world, where everything is different.Spoilers for Fallen Hero, Rebirth, and Retribution.Trigger warning: Mentions of substance addiction.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. Homesick

You struggle to get past the crowd, pushing and shoving with arms, elbows, and telepathy. Anything to get out of it all. It’s not like they aren’t doing the same, and some would be far more dangerous than you are if they could project thoughts of their own.

The shelter is packed, unventilated, and understaffed. The place isn’t maintained by citizen volunteers as it used to be in the days before the big one but by the BioRoxon corporation, an ugly conglomerate you learned to hate from early on.

The walls are packed with company ads, making it all too clear what their game is. They’re all announcements looking for volunteers for various medical tests, many of them boost drugs. 

Safe tests they say. 

Of course, it’s safe… the first few weeks usually are. 

But whoever is so badly in need to sign up for a week will likely be in the same situation the following week, and the next, and the next after that, until the pills do enough cumulative effect to… well to make something happen worthy of their scientists taking notes about. Charity is just the bait.

Signing up gets access to the good lounge, better meals, and some paltry dollars to spend. Oh, and of course, exposure to possible life-scarring collateral effects,all for science. 

There is a small line of the lost souls willing to sign up on the other end, most of them the same every day.

You’re keeping to your own line, the one that offers actual shelter services, like food. It’s disgusting, and you feel sick that you have to resort to this place, but there are few choices for someone like yourself. Besides, feeling sick is nothing new. 

The city is filthy, the roads are dirty, the rats roam free… Nothing in the neighborhoods you’re forced to hide in remotely resembles the white walls and immaculate floors of the Farm. 

How do humans live like this?!

Everything is louder, brighter… smellier. People keep bumping on you and shoving you out of their way, and it’s partly your fault because you keep erasing your presence from their minds. But the thing you miss the most is your nutritional supplements. Human food tastes horrible, too spicy or sweet and your stomach is having a real challenge trying to process it. 

And the white supplement… 

You haven’t found anything remotely similar to the farm’s “White Supplement” that calmed your nerves and allowed you to reach that deep meditation that made hours go by like they were minutes. You’re now pretty certain that you have been addicted to it all your life, and you’ve just been cut it off for good by escaping. 

Not fun. 

You asked around, but human medication isn’t labeled by colors, it has actual prospects that tell you what’s in the bottle and list all the ingredients in a scientific language you don’t understand. 

Not that it stopped you from sneaking into drugstores at night and taking a look around, but you couldn’t identify the pills, it’s not how it works. There are thousands of different ones, and you have no idea what they do. And almost all of them are white.

It’s been two months now, and the need hasn’t gone away. You’re no different than the addicts all around you, under the bridge, and that’s why they are the perfect cover. 

The only good news is you believe that the hounds have stopped chasing you after you removed the tracker implant from your arm. That really hurt even through the pain gate. 

The walk back to your bridge is uneventful, but you still try to keep out of sight. Not taking chances. 

“Morgan” you call out as you notice him, standing by your tent. “Got you some food” 

“Oh, there you are kid. Was wondering if you were inside.”

“Leave my stuff alone man” you warn, half-serious, tossing him a sandwich. 

“I was just watching it for you” he lies with a toothless grin. He takes things from you, but you can always tell. It’s not hard to steal them back, and he has a sort of moral compass about what he will steal or not… safer than most of the others. 

“Not buying it” you sigh, going inside your tent. It’s orange, which is oddly appropriate. You scavenged it from a dumpster and it’s been your home wherever you go for two weeks now. An upgrade from sleeping on the floor. What few things you own, are scattered inside. 

You take out a notebook from an old ruined backpack at a corner and start scribbling some thoughts. 

Date: April four.

Hour: 9 pm…?? 

Notes: Hot day, hot night.

Location: Western base of the millennial bridge, underneath. Los Diablos suburbs. 

Status: Foraged in town, acquired 40 dollars using Morgan’s techniques. Enhanced Techniques may draw the hounds again, suspect they can sniff psy activity. No hostile contacts today. 

Acquired food at shelter, returned to rest. 

You’re not sure why do you keep writing these reports that nobody’s going to read, but it’s calming. Distracting. Pretend things are still normal. 

No one suspects. Must continue to remain hidden. 

That’s the truth. You’re just another human for them. 

The city is filthy. Humans don’t like me. Dreams bad. Focus, non-existent, meditation impossible. Only breathing techniques work. Trembling hands come and go. Situation bad.

You’re not sure where you’re going with this, but your hand keeps writing. 

Miss the white supplement. Miss it so much. 

Well, what else is new… It scares you to think about what you would do for it if someone offered it right now.

I want to go back. 

I want to go back. 

I want to go back. 

You cross it out and write it again only to cross it out as well, and then one more time. 

That’s not it. 

I can’t go back.

I can never go back.

That’s it. That’s just how it is, no matter what you want or not. You can’t. 

Your eyes are tearful, so you rub them, and you pull the page out of the notebook, ripping it to pieces. Pointless. 

What kind of life can you have outside the farm? There is nothing here for you. 

Maybe it would have been better to just let the hounds get you.

You shake your head at the thought and cover yourself with your only blanket, trying to get some sleep. 

You’ll have to figure out a better way to make money tomorrow…


	2. Masked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash short, getting on a mask for the first time, and any mask will do! Also, first heroics!  
> Follow up to the last fic (Homesick)  
> No specific warnings  
> Spoilers for Fallen Hero Retribution.

“So how much for this one?” he asks, going over the many necklaces in the box and taking one. 

The owner tells him the price, and he puts it back, moving his hand to pick another… and there. There is the moment where his pinkie and his ring fingers snatch another, a small cross, hiding it from view. There is something intriguing about his method, just pure sleight of hand. A simple trick and nothing else, that’s all it takes.

The shop owner doesn’t realize what’s going on. You’re not even helping, it’s all Morgan doing this. Your role is to distract, talking about your imaginary girl that’s going to be so happy, while your uncle Morgan, helps you buy her jewelry so you won’t get scammed. 

In the end, you buy nothing, but the cross is still in Morgan’s pocket. 

“Well done kid, for someone so quiet you really talked that guy’s ears off!” he laughs walking alongside you. 

“Just some chit-chat,” you say. You could keep doing it for hours if you needed to. Providing distractions is your most basic training “What’s next?”

“Now we sell this little baby here, and maybe we get us hm… 200? Maybe 250? I’ll let you have a 30% cut this time because you were so good, how about that?”

“That’s more than fine you say,” trying to smile a bit. He expects you to be happy, so you have to act happy and smile. 

“We can get us a motel if we keep this up! Off the streets, as long as we can!” 

You nod, lightly, letting him go on and on with his plans. It was nice to pretend to have an uncle, if only for a few moments. 

“There’s a guy over at Richie’s, we’ll let him see the cross, and…”

You keep walking, but then notice he’s not following, and turn his way.

“Morgan?” 

He doesn’t answer, staring at something in the distance. A quick scan and you realize something’s off… he’s not the only one that’s standing still…

At least 10 people have stopped what they were doing, eyes lost in the horizon.

Something’s definitely going wrong and…

“You look strong. Take this!” a guy wearing a weird blue robe cape, and yellow gloves says shoving a bag into your hands. On his head, a white mask with a purple spiral painted on its front, and a hood covering the rest. “Come on take it!” he says pressing a gloved hand to his mask.

You do as told, confused more than anything. 

“Follow me” he calls, and instantly, everyone starts marching behind him… and of course, you follow. What is going on?!

“Psst… Morgan” you elbow him, to no avail. He doesn’t respond at all. 

Enemy telepaths can be just as sneaky as yourself. You will not notice them if they are targeting someone else. So remember, ALWAYS look for signs on others! 

Her words from training come to life with a scan, trying to figure out if this is what you think…

And of course, there it is… A compulsion, pressed against their minds, so frantic that you completely blocked is, thinking it was just a trail of loose hysterical thoughts bouncing against your shields. He’s literally screaming into their minds as loud as he can, telling them to do as he says…

Everything you learned not to do, he is doing. These people will remember being manipulated, will remember the voice of the one who did it, and they will become useless the moment they are let go…

You would have probably ended up recycled if you had ever been this sloppy. Makes you mad.

The man’s little caravan of the damned marches on towards the general bank… and the guards themselves begin to join the group.

Shit.

You start walking slower, and slower, letting others go ahead, until you are out of formation, hiding your face from the cameras, until you manage to hide behind one of the columns inside the bank, next to a mother and her kid doing the same. The kid’s wearing a ranger mask, you don’t remember which.

There’s a big commotion as he starts his robbery, with several of his controlled followers locking the doors behind them.

“So, the name’s Overlord, and I heard you people were fixing your dampeners today, so I decided to show up, how about that?” he laughs. “Now everybody, be still! STILL, I SAY!” he orders with a mental command, freezing everyone in place. 

Morgan and the others begin bagging the money from the cashiers and all you can do is watch, because you don’t have a plan and you don’t know what should you do…

You could just wait it out. Hide and wait until it ends, because this is none of your business… You could just walk out afterward.

But that would mean leaving Morgan under this madman’s control. His control is pathetic, and he is forcing them too hard… he is hurting them.

The mother holds her kid close, shielding him from what’s happening…

“I’m going to need this,” you say taking the mask from him.

“Are you going to be like Anathema?” he asks. 

“We’ll see,” you say walking over as the mother pulls him from you. 

“Hurry up, I don’t have all day!” Overlord yells

“Hey,” you say tapping his shoulder.

“What the…” 

He starts turning, just in time to get your fist to the face. The mask breaks to pieces, leaving him confused. You follow it up with an uppercut to his stomach, leaving him breathless, and finally kick him down. 

“Release these people,” you ask, in a calm tone, standing tall above him. 

He crawls back, looking at your mask with a bloodened face, pieces of the mask still falling off.

“And who the hell are you supposed to be?!”

“Release these people now” you repeat, not going to answer stupid questions from this human. 

“Oh, you release them, if you can! SHOOT HIIM!” 

The mind-controlled guards move forward, guns in hand…

Shit.

You pull their aims slightly off to the left, and sidestep a few times to the right, letting them empty their ammunition each time, repeating it to the right… left…Right...

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Overlord struggles to stand up, but the four guards are out of ammo, leaving you a clear way to walk over and kick him down again. 

“Release them now”

“KEEP SHOOTING AT HIM!” he repeats, but you place your foot on his neck, as the guards keep pulling the trigger on their empty guns at you. 

“You do know you have to actually order them to reload, no?” you ask, disgusted by this man’s amateur approach to telepathy. 

“Who are the fuck are you?!” 

“You asked for it,” you say, bringing down your fist down on his face again. You can see teeth flying over the floor this time, and his concentration shatters, everyone around you holding their heads in confusion. 

“You can’t… do this…” he gasps.

But you’re done talking, thus you bring down your first once more, leaving him out cold. 

Nobody moves, everyone still confused after his control broke, so you walk up to one of the guards, who cowers pathetically, but you just take his handcuffs, and bind Overlor’ds hands behind his back. 

The kid in the back, the one whose mask you took starts clapping, along with a few other clients that weren’t controlled. 

You don’t pay attention to that, walking straight up to Morgan, grabbing him by the arm, and pulling him to the exit. 

“Let’s go,” you say. 

“Oof.. my fucking head… at least we got some money out of it,” he says in a lower tone, showing you the moneybag he was gathering from the cashier. 

You look down, snatching it from his hands, and tossing it at the guards.

“What?!” he asks

“We’re leaving” you don’t need the police looking for you later because the cameras show them your friend forgot to return the bank’s money. 

“Why did you do that?!” he keeps yelling as you come out onto the streets, where a few patrol cars are beginning to arrive. 

“Because it was reckless and you would have been caught”

“You’re a coward!” he says pushing you away. “You’re a loser, with those powers you have, it should have been you robbing that bank!” 

“... listen, Morgan, we couldn’t just…” 

“I don’t care! You’re on your own from now on kid! I don’t need some loser on my tail!” he yells walking away. 

“Morgan…”

“Get lost!” 

You watch him go, getting lost among the crowd that’s starting to surround the Bank.

You knew this was going to happen, but somehow It’s… 

It’s…

You don’t even know what this feeling is. You’re not supposed to have feelings in the first place, but you can’t help it in here, surrounded by them.

It’s just another human who got tired of you, nothing special. Why did you expect Morgan to be any different?

They’re all the same, and you’ve always been on your own, so nothing’s changed, you say to yourself, rubbing the wetness of your eyes as you walk back to the bridge, to get your stuff before he returns from selling the cross and steals it all. 

You read his mind, so you know without a doubt that he was already planning to do so as he walked away. 

___________________

The video is playing on a loop, with the guards shooting, and the masked guy sidestepping them, over and over. 

“Am I seeing this right…? Did he just start dodging bullets?”

“Totally seems like he did. Jealous much, Marshall?”

“Nah… but I can’t stop watching it… it’s just… too sexy. Look at those moves!”

“It does have a certain rhythm to it, no? Wait here, I’ll go get Sentinel, he’s got to see this!”


	3. Stroke of luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stumbling his way into the masked circles, Ash manages to piss off the first Hero he meets.   
> Spoilers for Retribution as always.

You walk out of the station, face still bleeding under the mask.

It’s not that it hurts, but the bleeding is a mess. You were quick enough to snatch a few things on your way out, and that includes a box of tissues from one of the desks so now you can stuff your nose holes in an alley with them. 

Who in the hell does she think she is? 

You captured Red Spectre fair and square. Of course, you didn’t know who Hollow Ground is, how could you? There was no bounty attached to that name and no way for you to know she had been sneaking around to spy on the Spectre, waiting for him to lead her to this alleged underboss…

Honestly, if after such a long stakeout she still has nothing to show for it, you can hardly be to blame. She’s just not going to ever catch the hollow muppet or whatever. That’s what you told her. 

That’s when she punched you, telling you how you’re are far too young to be meddling in the hero world. Told you to go run to your mother… 

Mother… The word brings you shivers. 

Another bully trying to put you in your place, that’s all she is. 

But not this time. You’ve moved as far away from that place as you could.

Your nose will heal, and you didn’t leave empty-handed at all. On top of that, now you’ve got some money to spend, plus, you’ve proven that Los Diablos will allow anyone with a cheap mask to go claiming bounties. The police will even let you use some of their resources if you’re successful or so they claim. Something you can use to track where the hounds are.

No more hiding in dirty holes. Now you can afford to…-

A trail of thoughts and a presence lurking on the far end. Had she come for round two?

No. Not her. 

Someone new.

“Hey, you!” 

“Yes?” you say pulling the grappling hook from your belt.

“Couldn’t help but notice you getting beat earlier. Are you the kid that took down Overlord?”

“I’m not a kid, and you must be confusing me for someone else” Assholes can’t look past your height it seems. That never changes.

“I don’t think so. I saw your moves with the Red Spectre. Same style.”

“Oh, so you watched yesterday's news, am I supposed to be impressed? What do you want?” you ask, narrowing your gaze. 

“I’m Anathema, with the rangers, and I wanted to talk to you about… Wait Is that Owls Grappling hook you’re holding?”

“No” you lie, pulling the trigger, aimed at a rooftop. The hook flies upwards with a subdued hiss.

“IT IS! You stole it when she punched you? You know what she’s going to do when she finds out…?-” they ask, but you’re already being lifted up. “You’re nuts!” 

“You’re the crazy one, for thinking I would mix with you government types, ranger!” you wave them off as you elevate, coming up to the roof with a clean jump, landing on your knees. You look down, but they’re no longer there, probably trying to follow you up the building right now. 

Not going to stay to find out. 

You untie the hook, and jump to the roof of the next building, rolling with the fall before standing up for and sprinting forward. 

You can feel the weight of your new toy with both hands as you run. 

Morgan did get to teach you a few tricks after all. You didn’t even have to use your powers to get it. You’re going to like this one… 

Anathema comes up the stairs of the police station rooftop, looking in all directions. 

You fire the hook again, out of sight and out of reach. 

You’re going to do great things with this. Totally worth the sucker punch. 

Not that you’re going to let that go. Not this time.

Far from it. 

You dug into Owl’s mind, and you know what other criminals she’s been tailing for her Hollow Ground hobby. Very good bounties on the lot too...

Let’s see how she likes it when they all turn up in jail by the end of the week…

That’ll show her.


	4. Busy night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Launching a petty campaign to get back at Owl, Ash begins to quickly clear Los Diablos’ criminal elements. 
> 
> Also, he doesn’t really have anything better to do with his time, so there is that too. 
> 
> Some minor spoilers for Rebirth and Retribution.

_Date: April 17._

_Hour: 6:45 pm_

_Notes: Covert operation_

_Location: Newport Beach._

_Current assets: Low. 500 dollars._

_Status: Acquired chemicals and materials for upgrades. Secured a base of operations (Motel Room). Constructed special equipment for the current operation._

_Objectives: Retaliation and intimidation tactics against the subject (OWL) by means of rendering all of the subject’s current investigation plans obsolete. Capture of all individuals targeted by the subject’s investigation. Acquisition of additional funds through the pursuit of the bounties on each of the individuals._

You sneak closer to the lonely house, stopping at the edge of the alarm systems. This is the house of Clobbering Queen, an enforcer that Owl links to Hollow Ground, living under an assumed identity on an underdeveloped side of the city. 

If your intel is correct, Newport was erased from the map by a Tsunami, so it’s no surprise that only a few houses have been rebuilt here, given the frequency of the aftershocks. Not the safest place to be, unless you’re hiding, like your target is. 

The lack of other housing around her home makes the approach more complicated, but the shadows are already growing larger. Taking position behind a dumpster, you take note of all the movement trackers with your binoculars, before tracing the correct path of entry in your mind.

Your hands keep trembling so you slide them under your armpits and press with your arms, wishing it wasn’t so hard to keep calm without your pills as you wait for the sunlight to die out. 

It doesn’t take long, and soon you’re preparing your breathing technique… getting ready to spring. 

Count to 10, and you start the race, avoiding the sensors until you reach the wall.

So far so good… You can already feel her presence inside, watching TV.

That’s no good… perhaps… perhaps she should take a shower and get to bed early, how about that?

You present these suggestions to her subconscious, and they seem to be quickly accepted. How can her mental defenses be so weak?!

Carefully, you slide a metal disk against the window, magnetizing and disabling the sensor, allowing you to open it. From there, it’s really just a matter of sliding inside, towards the bathroom, with its door half-open, you only need to keep out of sight. 

Clobbering Queen is singing happily in the shower as you slide your home-made sleeping gas bomb rolling through the floor. 

You can hear the yelp as it explodes, and her rush towards the door, which you slam in her face. She struggles to open it, but you keep it shut from the other side until her fighting gets weaker… and you finally hear the bump on the other side as she falls. 

Good. 

Waiting a few more minutes just to be sure, you open the door, handcuff her, then drag the wet villain on top of the large carpet on the living room, and roll her like a burrito, tying it all up again with solid rope.

That should keep her from clobbering anything… not that she can do it without her power suit that is.

A quick search of her house reveals the secret compartment where she keeps her armor. You take it all, tossing it by her side -she’s awake by now, and cursing very loudly at you- and take the power gloves. 

Those will come in handy. 

Then you sit on the couch, calling for the police to take her away. 

\--------------------------------------------

_Date: April 17._

_Hour: 10:41 pm_

_Notes: Covert operation_

_Location: Downtown Los Diablos._

_Current assets: Medium. 10.500 dollars._

_Status: First target captured and handed over to LDPD. Officers surprised the whole house wasn’t destroyed by Clobbering Queen. Acquired Power Gloves. (They are so bad… require an immediate upgrade)_

_Objectives: Retaliation and intimidation tactics against the subject OWL (Continued). Acquisition of additional funds through the pursuit of the bounties (Continued)._

Your next target promises to be a real challenge. Lord Ember supposedly can control flames and has left a trail of scorched bodies in his wake. According to Owl, he doesn’t work directly for Hollow Ground but has had several dealings with him. 

He could be a real headache to deal with…

You see him having a smoke with a pair of his henchmen by the back door of the club. 

Time to get it done…

You approach them head-on, ready for anything. They notice you, and their gazes all focus on you, hands reaching to their holsters.

“Hey can I have a light?” you ask, holding a cigarette on your fingers, planting the suggestion that you are the most harmless person in the world. Just some cosplaying fool walking by. 

Ember looks at you and laughs. All of his henchmen laugh with him.

“A light? Are you hearing this kid? He’s asking me for a light!” he says turning to them. 

Critical mistake.

A quick forward uppercut and Clobbering Queen’s power glove activates, exploding with pink energy in his stomach, sending him flying against the club’s brick wall. 

The henchmen just stare at you in horror as it happens. 

Another critical mistake, you think as you jump at the closest one.

Perhaps these power gloves are not that bad after all…

\--------------------------------------------

_Date: April 18._

_Hour: 3:41 Am_

_Notes: Covert operation_

_Location: Fashion District._

_Current assets: High. 46.000 dollars._

_Status: Second target captured and handed over to LDPD. Same officers VERY surprised to see two villains captured on the same night by “Some random teenager”. Asked for my hero name, I told them that they can call me whatever they want as long as they pay me._

_Objectives: Retaliation and intimidation tactics against the subject OWL (Continued). Acquisition of additional funds through the pursuit of the bounties (Continued)._

Your final target lies ahead, in an old abandoned garment warehouse. 

According to Owl, he is extremely powerful, but with these gloves and your fighting skills, so are you. Allegedly, he oversees one of Hollow Ground’s largest stashes of boost drugs, something that she’s never managed to prove.

The power gloves make you far more confident in your abilities, so instead of sneaking, you will go for overwhelming force this time. Drawing Owl’s grappling hook, you aim for the rooftop, sending the hook flying, before pulling you in, only that you aim lower this time… for the window.

You crash through the glass, coming inside, fists already glowing pink, ready to reduce any henchmen to a pulp… 

And that’s when you realize something’s gone terribly wrong. 

“Hello, kid. I’ve been expecting you” A plump standing figure greets you, white makeup on his face, wearing a colorful outfit with red and white stripes, striped squirt, and high heel shoes, holding a gigantic lollipop. He gives you a bright smile full of completely white teeth. 

“Candymaster.” you speak his name, taking a defensive stance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Facing against Candymaster, Ash realizes he’s bit more than he can chew, and ends up joining forces with a ranger at the last minute. Spoilers for Fallen hero. 
> 
> Trigger warning: Addictions. 

“So young and yummy.” He snorted. “Shouldn’t you be at school instead of taking candy from strangers?”

“I’m going to get more than candy” You mirror his smile, the power gloves crackling with energy 

“Oooh, I definitely think you’re my type now! Let’s dance, shall we?”

“But of course” you let out, lunging forward.

He responds by raising his arms. 

Which does nothing.

He seems very sure that he’ll be ok, but you’re not going to question stupidity right now, so you do what you came to do. Hit hard, hit fast, the moment you’re close enough. 

The gloves crackle with energy, causing an explosion of… 

Shards? 

You look down, and only his feet remain standing, cracked at the base, the rest of his body seems to have exploded in a thousand pieces. 

That’s when you notice the entire warehouse is covered in white dust… white… sugar?

And he’s still there. You can feel his mind laughing.

You can hear him laughing! 

“My turn!” 

The ground starts shaking, and you can sense incoming attacks from every direction. 

Sharp-colored crystals begin sprouting at an alarming speed, breaking in through the floor itself. Very sharp crystals. 

“Where are you?!” you let out.

“Everywhere” the answer is loud and maniacal, confirming your worse fears.

A large crystal stalagmite surges… trembles.. And breaks apart, revealing the Candymaster, unharmed and fully reformed, grinning with the whitest of smiles, his arms reshaping into pointy crystal blades.

Sucrose manipulation. You’ve seen it, but never to this extent.

And he’s made of the stuff himself?! You’ve seriously miscalculated here. “I’ll break you as many times as I need to!” you challenge, running forward, evading his swipes, before crushing him once more to pieces.

“Rude. But I’m going to be your sugar daddy either way by the end of this.” 

More crystals form out of thin air, from the ceiling this time, and soon you’re evading a complete storm of falling shards, aimed your way. 

“Nice sidesteps. I wonder how long can you keep this up”

“As long as I have to…” you curse as a shard explodes against your leg, giving you a hard bruise. You manage to keep your balance, but the cheap armor on your discount suit isn’t going to help much. 

He reforms before your eyes once more, walking slowly in your direction. Toying with you. “I’m not afraid of you, sidesteps. As I said, I was expecting you”

“How did you know…?”

“Oh, you’ve been just too cute standing there pretending to be clueless. Red Spectre, Clobberer Queen, Lord Ember, you visited them all in one night? It’s almost like you know all of my friends.”

“Losers you mean”

He snorts at that “You’re funny. Now tell me, while we’re talking about losers… did Owl send you? Is she really that desperate”

“Fuck Owl” You distract, not willing to follow his game. “I came to bring you in myself”

“Loyal huh? Heroes can be annoying. But you’re going to give me a straight answer!” 

He pushes forward, sending a wave of shards at your face. You block with the gloves, as best you can, but when it’s over you can see they are cracking with broken circuits, several shards stuck to them. 

“Aww did I break your toy?” he circles around you. 

“I don’t need it to break your face!” you challenge him, discarding the broken power gloves.

“Well let’s see about that” he charges, arms made into razors again. 

You let him down with a roundhouse kick, shattering his face as promised, but that doesn’t stop the rest of the body from swinging at you. You dodge left, then right, stepping back…. only to find another Candymaster.

Fuck. 

“As long as I have sugar, I can be anywhere, sidesteps” he laughs. “You’ll never get rid of me with silly dance moves”

You keep fighting, cracking one of the arms of the newcomer while evading the last one… but a third and a fourth are coming your way. 

It doesn’t take long for you to take the wrong step, and they take hold of your arms, holding you down. 

You curse and kick but it’s useless, and they drag you towards the far end of the warehouse. 

They hold you against a wall, crystal begins growing over your legs and arms, immobilizing them.

You’re stuck. 

“Now you’re you’re going to tell me everything you know about Owl”

“I’m not telling you shit!”

“Believe me you will talk,” one of them says bringing up a large box and placing it at your feet.

“Is that supposed to scare me, clown?” you say, staring down at it. 

“Nah. You’re going to love it… This makes even people like you into obedient good puppies, let me show you” two of them open the lid, taking out a small bottle… placing a couple of pills in his hand…

You freeze, staring at them.

It can’t be…

“Open wide!” 

You struggle as hard as you can, but they pinch your nose, they punch you… until they can force you to open your mouth… and swallow them.

White supplement. 

“Alright now. I will start asking questions and you will answer each one” 

His voice keeps talking falling into the background, and you can hear yourself answering, but the words aren’t yours. It’s someone else.

The rest is a blank.

\--------------------------------------------- _**“**_

_**FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE!!” Ashley’s words are still ringing in your ears.** _

_**Only that she’s not here.** _

_**She died. Why do you still hear her?** _

_**Why do you still...** _ _**(...)** _

“Wow, good job, kid that was surreal!” 

You’re lying down, on a very wet floor, water raining down from the ceiling. A hand on your shoulder, trying to help you sit up.

“Are you ok?”

You focus on the face of the person speaking to you… wearing a mask!

You almost jump, stumbling back, falling down on your ass onto the water again. 

“I guess that’s a no.”

They give a few slow steps your way, palms extended. They mean no harm (or is that what they want you to think?)

“Hey hey. It’s ok. We won” 

“Who are you?” you ask before he gets any closer.

“Aww, you forgot me already? I’m Anathema. Tried to talk to you the other day, and you ran away?”

It takes a few seconds for it to click that you actually do remember this one. 

“The ranger”

“There you go. That’s me!” 

They are completely colorless, even as more details begin to come back. 

You pain gate. It’s active, at its highest setting. You stare at your hands… completely numb and bloodied. You can feel sore fingers and knuckles, even through the gate, and your legs are like two wooden logs. You’ve taken a hell of a beating.

“What… happened?” 

“You’re having a moment huh? We beat the crap out of Candymaster, that’s what happened.”

“Ah” you stand up, finally accepting his hand.

“There you go. Must say, turning on the fire sprinklers was a genius move, washed out all that sugar on the floor and ruined his day” “Right. What’s that?” you ask looking at a gooey puddle of blackish ooze.

“Well, Sugar and Acid don’t mix. The rest of him ran away after that… you seriously don’t remember?”

“Maybe I’m having a moment like you said” you reply following him.

“I think you might have been drugged,” they say looking down at the box, holding one of the bottles full of white supplement pills resting in packing peanuts before tossing it back in “That might explain it. Some sort of truth serum maybe?”

You say nothing, looking down. 

A box full of white supplement...

Your hands are hurt but steady now.

“You were amazing. Candymaster had you down, interrogating you, so I got the jump on him, released you, and you looked a bit lost at first. But when I told you to fight and you turned into a total beast, you were breaking off those sugar creeps with your bare hands. It’s almost as if… hey don’t touch that! It’s evidence!” they interrupt themselves.

“Touch what?” you ask, pathetically. 

“The box! Leave it back on the floor!” 

You order your hands to put it down as they say, but that’s not what seems to be happening at all. 

“I’m just…” You step back “... I need…”

“Leave it right there! Don’t make me… shit!!!”

You’re sprinting, and they are chasing you, and the box is really heavy but you don’t care. 

You need it. You need the white supplement so you won’t feel like shit all the time. You can’t go back, but with this, you won’t need to. 

You almost make it in range of a low building, drawing the grappling hook, only to have it fly off your hand, half-melted, covered in acid. Shit.

You turn and notice Anathema jumping at you just in time to sidestep, letting them hits a traffic light instead. You don’t stop running, they can’t catch you if you don’t stop. You’re too focused on evading him to notice the car coming at you tough. 

It wasn’t a very strong bump, and you barely felt it with your pain gate active, but you were running fast enough to be projected a few feet away as the driver hits the brakes, hitting the pavement hard. Another thing you don’t feel.

“Oh, shit are you ok? Get off the street!” Anathema runs, stopping traffic.

The box.

The box is right in front of you… you just need to stand up and...

And an enormous Geni-Tech truck runs it over, squishing all of its contents and sending pieces of wood, pills, and packing peanuts all over. 

“NO!” you lunge forward, trying to get as many pills as you can, but it’s too late. Anathema pulls you, holding you back. “NO NO NO, LET ME GO, YOU IDIOT! I NEED THOSE! I NEED THEM” 

You hit them hard with your hurt hands, but it’s no use, they don’t even budge. “I think you had enough of those,” they say extending a hand towards the white supplement stain…

“NO! DON’T DO THAT! YOU DON’T GET IT, I REALLY NEED THOSE, PLEASE DON’T…” 

But they don’t listen, sending a small blob of acid at the stain, turning it all into a muddy black substance, the pills dissolving forever. 

“Nonononononono…” you can’t stop yourself, hitting him as hard as you can, completely out of it while they pull you off the street. 

“Believe me, you’ll be better off in the long run.”

Your gaze is fixed on the muddy substance, cars running over it, washing it down the drain. 

You’re doomed. 

You’ll never be normal again


	6. Cracked Shell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash has his longest conversation with anyone since he left the farm, as Anathema questions him on his life choices.  
> Trigger warning, mentions of addiction.

# “Are you done?”

It’s an easy question they’re asking, still holding you, impervious to your attacks, insults, and struggle. You can’t really escape the hug.

You’re tired, and your entire body aches from the bloodened bruises. On top of that, the box and it’s contents are gone for good. There’s no point to continue. 

“Let go” 

“Will you freak out again?”

“No, I won’t. Now let go, I don’t like people touching me.”

They do as you asked, and you try to stand up firm, recovering what little dignity you have left. 

“You’re a mess right now. Want me to call an ambulance?” 

“I’ve had worse” you boast, as much as you can in this state. “I’ll live. No ambulance for me” you say, looking away. 

“You’re crazy but ok. Now, you do realize I couldn’t let you walk with evidence just so you could go overdose on boost drugs in some corner, right?” 

“It’s not a boost drug… and It’s not good as evidence now either”

“I saw what it did to you, and I’m calling it a boost. Destroying it was the only way to make sure that stuff was off the streets. I’ve seen how you do things” he says, picking up your stolen half-melted grappling hook. 

You cross your arm, looking away.

“Whatever. Owl started it, I’m not apologizing” you say, starting to walk away

“HEY!” 

“What?” you ask, looking over your shoulder.

“I’m not done with you,” They say, following you. 

“And why the hell not?”

“Look at me!” They cut you off, getting directly in your way. 

“Fine, I’m looking at you. What the fuck do you want from me?”

“I want to know why are you trying so hard to get killed?”

Your eyes widen, looking at them. What did they just say?!

“Oh, this is just…” you say, throwing your arms. “The fuck… Now you think you know me? You know NOTHING!”

“I know a death-wish when I see it. Overlord, Red Spectre, Clobberer Queen, Lord Ember, and now you tried to go for Candymaster. And that’s just the first week. What do you have planned for the second, genius?”

“Pff as If I was going to tell you that”

“Look I’m not stupid. I know the signs… when did you get boosted?”

That makes you look away, not for the reasons they think but because you can’t exactly tell them. 

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“You took the drugs, you got powers, you’re lost in the big city, and now you don’t know what to do with them, so you got a mask. Do you think you’re the first? Look around!” 

It’s not exactly your story, but it’s close enough to give you some pause. 

“I can take care of myself just fine. I don’t need you giving me life advice”

“You almost got fucking killed! Candymaster wrecked you, then gave you another boost drug and you just went and got hit by a car trying to get more! You have big fucking problems!”

You point a finger at them, but you don’t actually come up with a comeback for that. 

Is the white supplement really a boost drug? 

You hate it, but they do make a few valid points.

“... even if you’re right, it’s none of your business. I’m not your problem to fix,” you say at last, in a calmer tone.”

“I don’t know about fixing, but I can help”

“I don’t get it”

“What?” 

“Why would you want to help someone like me?”

Now that gives them some pause. The thoughts in their head are going too fast…

“It… It doesn’t matter, I just do, ok? You’re young, you have an incredible boost with that martial arts shit, and you’re a mess right now. You could do this city a lot of good, and I can help you with that” That’s not the whole story, they don’t want want to talk about it. Don’t want to think about it. 

_Makes them remember..._

He doesn’t want you to die.

_She didn’t want you to die either._

“What kind of... Help?” you ask, to distract the both of you from your lines of thought more than anything else. 

“We could team-up. Then I can teach you how to be smarter about how you use your powers”

“You want me to work for you?!” You ask ready to say no. 

“No, not FOR me, I want you to work WITH me. You can get the same bounties and have some backup for once. And advice, if you’re going to hear it”

This is so stupid… why would you even get closer to a Ranger…? He’s the government… he destroyed the supplement you need… he will get you caught… 

But his mind.

His mind says otherwise. 

He honestly wants to help you, as absurd as it sounds. 

“I’ll… think of it,” you say.

“Great! Then go home, get fixed and we meet by the police station tomorrow at 9:30!”

“Wait I haven’t said yes!” you yell, but he’s already walking

“Be on time, I hate waiting!” “Fuck you!” you let out, not knowing what else to say

“9:30!”


End file.
